Ultimate Cambodia

You head out with your private guide today to discover Phnom Penh, learning about its history and culture and everyday life. Part of today's tour includes the infamous Khmer Rouge period, which can be quite sobering to experience. In the evening, you will be taken on a slightly different voyage of discovery as you tour some of the great new microbreweries popping up in Phnom Penh.

This morning, you will be collected from your hotel and driven into the countryside. You stop en route at Oudong, the site of a former capital, and now just a series of temples looking over the Cambodian countryside, but a poignant spot to visit. You arrive in Battambang, a sleepy provincial town with a rich architectural heritage and a fascinating history, around early afternoon. Later in the afternoon, you have a short audio tour by Cambodian cyclo to learn the history of the town.

From Battambang, you continue onto Siem Reap, home to the incredible temples of Angkor. You check in to your hotel, and the rest of the day is free. In the evening, you will be taken to see the phenomenally popular Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus, a Cambodian equivalent of the Cirque du Soleil. We have chosen the stunning Phum Baitang for your hotel here.

Time for some exercise this morning! You start around 6.15am and will be taken out to discover some of the best temples in the Angkor complex by mountain bike. This is a wonderful way to avoid the crowds and enjoy a very personal experience at the temples. Start at Ta Prohm before the tour groups are allowed in, then make your way along jungle trails, ride along the fortified walls of Angkor Thom and end at the amazing Bayon Temple. You then head over to Srah Srang, where a fantastic Khmer lunch will await you, along with some cold drinks and a free foot massage! The afternoon is free, but we recommend taking in the APOPO Visitor Center en route back to your hotel. Here you can learn about the fantastic job done by Cambodia's demining rates.

As the tour groups eat breakfast this morning, you will head out to visit the mother of all the temples, Angkor Wat. Visiting it early in the day avoids the tour groups that descend after breakfast. An unparalleled religious monument, your guide will know all the secrets and history to bring the temple and the Angkor period to life. You then head out onto the famous Tonle Sap Lake. An extraordinary geological feature, the waters rise over the wet season to flood the lake to three times its normal size as the Tonle Sap River reverses its flow. You will see the floating villages, the birdlife and some wonderful scenery, perfect for photographs. You are then free for a few hours before being taken out this evening to discover some of Siem Reap's hidden culinary gems!

It's time for some real adventure now. You will be driven out by 4x4 into the remote countryside to see the ancient capital of Koh Ker, a less visited temple complex with a giant ziggurat-style temple at its heart, from the top of which you can enjoy wonderful views of the countryside. After lunch, you continue into even more remote country to the stunning hilltop temple of Preah Vihear. You will camp here overnight and enjoy the incredible views in peace when other tourists leave at the end of the day. A wonderful dinner with drinks is provided for you, and your deluxe tent is set up for you while you explore.

Rise early this morning to enjoy the views over the Cambodian plains as the sun rises. Once you have had breakfast, you will be taken back down the mountainside and back to Siem Reap to check in at your hotel. For variety, we have used a different hotel for tonight, using the excellent Jaya House River Park. You will get a free spa treatment while staying here — perfect after your adventures on the road!

You take a short domestic flight to the south this morning, flying into Sihanoukville. You will be collected from the airport on arrival by your new guide and driven out to the Cardamom Mountains. The drive is about three to four hours, and then you board a boat for the last part of the journey, travelling up river to the remote outpost of the Cardamom Tented Camp. Set in splendid isolation, CTC offers a wonderful opportunity to get off the grid and enjoy nature. Your stay here helps to protect Cambodia's vulnerable rainforests from further deforestation.

Excursions at Cardamom Tented Camp — these can all be organised when at the camp.

You say goodbye to the jungle today and head back to the main road, where your car will be waiting for you. You will then be driven east to Kampot, the small riverside town once famous for its pepper. Check in to your riverside accommodation and relax over lunch. In the afternoon, you can enjoy some great kayaking or paddleboarding along a beautiful section of the local river.

This morning you will be taken to a wonderful initiative called La Plantation, a pepper farm set up to reintroduce Kampot pepper to the world. While here you can learn the secrets of Khmer cuisine with a wonderful cookery course.

It is now time for some well-earned R&R. You will be driven from Kampot to the coast, where a speedboat will be waiting to whisk you over to the small tropical island of Koh Russey, where you have three nights to rest and relax in a private pool villa.

Spend your first full day relaxing on Koh Russey. You can choose to embark on a cross-island walk or visit the island's main beach.

Today, there is an opportunity for some snorkelling, followed by an afternoon at the resort's exclusive spa. This evening, why not try the Beach Shack for dinner, where you can enjoy freshly caught seafood prepared on the grill.

You will return to the mainland this morning, where a car will be waiting to drive you back to Phnom Penh in plenty of time to meet your flight home. Your return flight will arrive the same day.